Cumulative-voting interlock for voting-machines.



W. J. LAUSTERER.

CUMULATIVE VOTING INTERLOOK FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908.

945,175. Patented Jan. 4,1910.

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' W. J. LAUSTERER.

CUMULATIVE VOTING INTERLOGK FOR VOTING MACHINES:

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908.

945, 175. Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

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UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\NILLIAIMI J. LAUSTEBER, 0F JAMESTOWN,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EMPIRE VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER AND JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TIO'N on NEW YORK.

CUMULATIVE-VOTING INTERLOCK FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Application filed July 29, 1908. Serial No. 446,013.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. LApsrEnER, I a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cumulative Voting Interlocks for Voting Machines, of which the following is a specification.'

My present invention relates to that class 1 of voting machines described in my former patent i\o. 793,666, and in the patent issued to Frank Keiper No. 857,469, and has for its object the adaptation of the interlock i to the purpose of cumulatherein described, tive voting as practiced 1n the State 0t 1111- nois 1n the election of members of the general assembly thereof and elsewhere.

In the State of at present provides that three representatives shall be elected to the general assembly from each senatorial district, and that in the election of these representatives, which occurs every two years, each qualified voter may cast as many votes for one candidate as there are representatives to be elected or maydistribute the same or equal parts there of among the candidates as he shall see fit, and the three candidates highest in votes shall be declared elected. Thus, candidates Smith, Brown, and Jones may be nominated by one party. The voter may at his option castthree votes for Smith alone, two votes for Smith and one vote for Brown, one and a half votes for Smith and Brown each, or one vote apiece for each Smith, Brown and Jones, or may cumulate them on any one other candidate or combination of 'candidates that he may see fit. It is the practice of the political parties in that State, where the senatorial district contains but a small majority for either party, for the two leading parties to nominate two candidates only, so that the voter in votin a straight ticket may count. one and a hal votes for'each of l these candidates,

, although he may at his option vote otherwise as above indicated. In other instances the party nominatesbut a single candid-ate, so that t'rom the voter who votes a straight ticket, such candidate will receive three votes,

or all the parties will nominate two candidates for this oflice, but in anycase the-voter Illinois the constitution I devices located in the channel 5 .whilo'tin other cases each i is entitled to and-must be permitted to bunch or distribute his votes as above indicated.

1 In order to permit a voter to vote as he is i entitled to vote, I have arranged the names of candidates on the keyboard of the machine, repeating them as may be necessary, and interlocking them so as to secure all of the rights above described.

, This invention is capable of use in other connections and tor other purposes,'and it. I consists in certain improvements and combil nation of parts hereinafter fully described, 5 the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

i In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the keyboard of the machmc, showing an, arrangement of candidates thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan View oi the interlocking mechanism as provided in the machine for that part of the keyboard that is l l l occupied by the candidates for members of" the assembly. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse 5 section on the line 3*-3" in Fig. Fig. 4:

1 is a perspective view of a pair of interlock- 1 ing wedges in unvoted position, with a compensator positioned between them in the interlocking channel, the interlocking channel being omitted. Fig. 5 is apin roller of the I interlock. -Fig. 6 is a solid roller of the interlock. Fig. 7 isthe compensator. Figs. 8 and 9 are blocks out after a special pattern, the details and purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Similar reference characters in the severalfigures indicate similar parts.

The ballot keys or indicators indicated by 1 are similar to those shown in my former patents Nos. 793,666 and 820,802, and consist of a lever pivoted in the keyboard 2 of the machine, and passing therethrough, to the rear of whichare connected the ini terlocking rods or straps 3, shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These rods or straps are preferably l formed of sheet metal, and have at their lower end wedges or thickened portions 4, cooperating with the separating or limiting shown in of the machine, and carries all the interlocking blocks and rollers. with which onage the interlocking straps and vwedges of all the keys shown on the keyboardin Fig. 1. For clearness, the channel is'omitted in Fig. 3. This channel runs the whole length Fig. 2. Regularly contained'in this channel are pin rollers and solid rollers such as are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. These rollers are of such a. dimension that the sum of the diameters offour of them plus the thickness of one wedge, equals the distance between centersof the ofiice lines of keys on the keyboard.

I11 the machine shown it may be assumed that there are seven party rows of keys and one row of irregular balloting devices (not shown). thus making eight voting devices in. each 0 cc line on the machine, and all of these eight voting devices for each oflice line are interlocked in the one channel 5. The interlocking devices belonging to each oflice line are separated from each other in the interlocking channel by grouping pins, for which the interlocking channel is drilled with holes, spaced the same distance between centers as are the oilice lines of keys on the keyboard. Through these holes pass the grouping pins. These pins also pass through the pin rollers which occur at such laces as shown in Fig. 5. Intermediate of the pin rollers are the solid rollers shown in Fig. 6.

It will thus be seen that every fourth roller is a pin roller and the three intermediate rollers are solid rollers.

As'described in the patents above referred to, both the pin and the solid rollers have an annular recess which is a little longer than the width of the interlocking strap, and a little deeper than the thickness of the strap. The wedges are arranged in pairs with their beveled edges together, and with their interlocking'straps lying side by side in pairs, so that a pair of straps passes through each joint between the rollers. The system of wedges and rollers is normally so arranged that when one wed e is pulled to voted position in a single ofi ice line, no more wedges can be voted in that ofiice line if the pin rollers are held in place by the grouping pins.

As shown in Fig. 1, oflice lines 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are included in the group of members of the assembly. The group is placed in this particular position because the first' connected beyond this point so that the operation of the party lever will operate keys 1 to 10 inclusive, and will not vote anything beyond that point, it being understood that this group is placed at the end of the ticket, so that the keys in the first oflice line of the group may be operated by the straight ticket keys and the balance of the group may be independent thereof. On the first oitice line I of the group as shown in Fig. 1 are placed the names of those candidates which each party has nominated. The ballot shows that the first and third parties have nominated two candidates each, and the second, fourth about to describe.

As above pointed out, the machine is normally provided with-solid and pin rollers throughout the whole of the channel, but in this case when the office of members of the I assembly or any other oflice in which cumulative voting must be provided for, occurs on the machine, the interlocking rollers are removed from oiiice lines 11, 12, and 13 (13 interlocking rollers in all) and are replaced by blocks and eompensators of the form shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. The block 20 shown in Fig. 8 is a special block that must be placedadjacent to the interlocking roller. But two of these blocks are used. One of these blocks is placed at the beginning of ofiice'line No. 11, and the other at the end of otlice line No. 12 as is shown in Fig. 2. The block 20 is formed with a single recess 23 cut on one side, and a double recess 22 and 23 cut on the other side of it. The recessv 23 is intended to nest with the stra only and is a .little longer than the width 0 the strap, and

the recess 22-is intended to nest with the interlocking wedge wholly or in part or to a greater. or less extent, which extent is dependent on the depth of the recess. The recess 22 is a little longer than the width of the wedge. The recess 23 is cutcentrally of the recess 22. The block 20 has interlocking surfaces as follows;-a, a, where it contacts with the adjacent interlocking rolleror the wedge that separates it from the adjacent roller, 6, b, where it contacts with the adj acent compensator, and c, 0, where it contacts with the interlocking wedge, if the wedge is placed in voted position. The intermediate blocks 21 are cut symmetrically-with the double recess 22 and 23 on each side of each block. Each block 21 has the interlocking surfaces 7), b, and 0, a;' similar to the blocks 20 but does not have the interlocking surfaces a, a. The central recesses 23 of the blocks 20 and 21 may all be cut of the same depth, but the lon er recesses 22 arecnt of varying depths as follows The depth of the longer recesses 22 in all of the blocks of a given ofiice line are the same, but the said recesses are of diflerent de ths in different otfice lines. The object 0 cutting the recesses 22 of different depths will now be explained.

The thickness of the wedge may be taken for example at .1 of an inch. If now the depth of the recess 22 above referred to in each of the blocks is .1 of an inch, the wedge without causing the movement of the block.

The wedge will nest in the recess, but will not move a block away from the adjacent compensator 6 that lies without the recess. If, however, instead of the recess being .1 of an inch deep, it is of .1 of an inchdeep,

' then when the wedge is drawn into voted .position the recessed block will be moved away from the adjacent block by the thickness of the wedge that is in excess of the depth of the recess; that is, by of .1 of an inch, and this is the effective displacement of each of the wedges in oflice line No. 11, due to the fact that the large recess in each block is 5 of .1 of an inch in depth. In ofiic'e line No. 12 the interlocking blocks have large recesses of a depth of J; of the thick-- ness of the wedge, so that when the wedge is placed in voted position, it will displace the block by a of the thickness of the .wedge.

In ofiice line 13, the depth of the recess is Q,-

of the thickness of the block, so that when a wedge is pulled to voted position in the 13th ofiice line, the blocks will be displaced by of the thickness'of the wedge. The wedges and interlocking rollers in the 141th oflice line are the same as those found in the 10th oflice line. In the 11th, 12th, and 13th bfllce lines, there is placed after each interlocking block so as to be interposed between them, a compensator 6 similar to that shown in Figs. 4:- and 7 This compensator 6 is a plate having a beveled lower edge, and having recesses 30 by which it engages the upper flangesof the channel 5, and by which it is held in place against vertical movement but is permitted to slide longitudinally of the channel. The compensators are in real-' ity interlocking blocks, but are called compensators for. convenience of reference, and to distinguish them from the blocks 20 and 21, which are of a different type. The displacement when the wedge is pulled to position is between the block-and its adjacent compensator instead of between two consecutive blocks. These compensators are not used between consecutive rollers as it is obvious they are unnecessary where the surfaces ofthe rollers that interlock with the wedges come directly in contact with each other when the wedge is withdrawn. such case thefull displacement of the wedge is secured by the interlocking surfaces of consecutive rollers being directly in contact. The thickness of the special blocks does notcorrespond with the diameter of the rollers, but is less-than the diameter of the rollers by the thickness of the compensator. Otherwise, the blocks could be formed as rollers, and they may be so formed even with the diminution in their thickness, if the verticallost motion which they would then have in the channel is not considered objectionable. Thefblock 20 at intermediate blocks are similar :to thatv shown in 9, the-onl difference being in the depth to which the ong recess 22iscut, which of course di'iiers ineach ofiice line as above explained. The short recess may be omitted in all blocks in which the depth of the long recess is greater than the thickness of the interlocking strap. Where the depth of the long recess is less than the thickness of the interlocking strap, a short recess could be supplied so as to prevent a displacement by the strap of the'blocks or the blocks and compensator.

In the system as shown in Fig. 2, .1 of an inch of space is provided for the voting of wedges in the entire group otfiveotfice lines. If one wedge is pulled in to voted position-in either the 10th or 14th ofiice line, no other wedges can be voted in the group, because will displace the full .1 of an inch. If a wedge is placed in voted position in the 11th oflice line, it will still displace Q,- of .1, and there will be "room to vote a second and third wedge in that same oflice line, or instead another wedge can be voted in the 12th or 13th oflice line, which wedge will displace J; of .1. If a wedge is voted in the 11th and 12th ofiice lines each, .the two wedges will displace a third of a tenth lus a half of a tenth of an inch or of .1 0 an inch, leaving of .1 of an inch still open, but as there is no wedge that will 'fit such an opening, and as no block is recessed to the extent that a wedge in separatin it from its neighboring compensator will; is-

inch. In the 13th ofiice line-but one interlockin wedge can be placed in voted position, isplacing of .1 of an inch, leaving of .1 of an inch to be displaced elsewhere, which can, be done by voting one wedge in oflice line No. 11, but after a wedge is voted in oflice line No. 13, a second wedge cannot be voted in any other ofiice line except No. 11, because any wedge in any other oflice line'would. make a displacement of more than 2; of .1 of an inch.

It will be understood that in the'arranging of this system, the wedges that are orig nally built into the machine are not disturbed, but that each of them has a uniform -wedges in the 11th oflice line would have of the thickness of the wedges in the 10th and 14th oflice lines, the wedges in the 12th office line would be 1} and the wedges of the 13th ofiice line would be 5- of the normal thickness. If such wedges are used I prefer to use them in connection with an auxiliary channel, so that the wedges and rollers in the main interlocking channel need not be disturbed. In such case the auxiliary channel would embrace the five or more oflice lines of the group, and the interlock would be effective in the auxiliary channel only. The

. voted in the group.

intermediate grouping pins would be. removed from the corresponding oflice lines in the main channel, so that the wedges and rollers therein would not interfere with the votin of the keys.

. Re erring now to Fig. '1, 'in view of the.

foregoing explanation, it will be seen that if any key is voted in the 10th office line of the assembly group, no other keys can be It is arbitrarily directed that because of the relation heretofore explained, the counters of each of the keys shall "be given a multiplyin is in proportion to .the disp acement of its wedge,- and inversely proportioned to the depthof the cut'in the block with which it cooperates, Thus, the wedges in the 11th ofiice line displace the least, which is Q; of .1

of an inch, and the wedges in the 10th and 14th office lines displace the most, which is .1 of an inch for each wedge, or three times the 'displacement'of the w dfiein the 11th ofiice line. Taking now the? splacement in the 11th ofiice line as the unit, each counter in the 11th oflice line will be given ,a multiplying factor of 1. The counters in the 10th and 14th oflice lines will each be given a multiplying factor of 3. The counters in the 12th oflice line will each be given a multiplying factor of 1%, and the counters in the 13th ofiice line will each be given a multiplying factor of 2, the factor being in' proportion in each instance to the effective displacement of the wedge attached to that key, which displacement determines the number of keys-of that class that can be voted.

Referrin again to office line No. 10, and assuming tIrat the counter of the first key shows 100 votes, it will have, using the multiplying factorof 3, in reality 300 votes recorded thereon, half of which belong to counter of this key shows 6 votes.

factor which Smith, and the other half of which belong to Brown. If the second counter in the 10th office line shows 100 votes, with its multiplying factor-of .3, it will likewise credit to its candidate in reality 300 votes, all of which belong to the candidate Jones. Thesame is true as to a third, fourth and fifth counter, the indication of the counters in that row bein multiplied by 3, and being credited direct y to one candidate, if but one candidate appears in connection therewith, or is divided between the two or more candidates if that number appear in connection therewith. In the 11th ofiice line it will be seen that Smiths na'me'is' re eated in connection with the first key an counter, and in that case if his' counter inthe- 11th office line shows for example ten votes, the result so indicated will be multiplied by the multiplying factor of 1 and added to the votes credited to Smith by the counter in the 10th oflice line. Likewise Smiths name appears in connectionwith the first counter on the 12th office line, and if he has received thereon say 12 votes, such' indication would be multiplied by the multiplying factor-of 11}, making this counter credit to Smith 18 votes, to be added to the votes credited to him by the other counters. Likewise in the first key and counter of the 13th line appears the name of Smith, and we will say that the This multiplied by the'factor of 2 would give 12 votes tobe added to the votes of the previouscounters. Smiths name-also appears in connection with the first key on the 14th line,

and the vote on the vkey which we will assume is 9, should be multiplied'by 3 making 27, which should also be credited to Smith. Thus Smith would be credited with 150 votes from the first counter, 10 from the next counter, 18 from the 3rd, 12 from the 4th,

and 27 from the 5th,,making 217 votes in all. I

Likewise, the vote would befaudited in the same way forBrown, and in this connection it will be seen that Browns name, while it a pears on the first party row in the 10th 0 cc line, appears on the 2nd party line in the 11th,,12th, 13th and 14th party lines. This, however, is not objectionable in practice, as the effect of the straight ticket key stops at the 10th key and does not affect the keys beyond. As to Jones, his first and last counter will have a multiplying factor of 3, the same as in the case of the counters of Smith and Brown,.but the total vote of his first counter will be credited to him alone, instead of being divided with another candidate. Inthe same manner thevote is canvassed from the other counters and credited in its proper pro ortion to the respective correctly represent the vote to that the votes so given will, by the regula-' tion of the interlocking mechanism and by the use of the multiplying factor which is determined by the interlockin mechanism, be credited to the respective candidate.

The blocks need not be confined to the dimensions above enumerated, as it is obbination of an interlockin vious that by varying the depth of the cut the effective displacement of the wedge will be varied as well, so that any interlocking effect may be secured. It is a parent that different wed es in the same ofhce line may be given a di erent displacement to suit the needs of the occasion, and if the blocks and compensators when assembled in the machine are found to be undersized, the extra space may be taken up by the use of additional compensators or by replacing one or more of the regular compensators by compensators of greater thickness. It is also true that this particular interlocking mechanism may be placed anywhere in the machine that the needs of the occasion requires,

but that the position above described is perhaps the most effective in connection with straight ticket voting: namely, placing the group at the end of the ticket with the first ofiice line occurring on an oifice row that will be operated by the party levers, and the re-v maining oflice lines on ofiice rows that will not be affected by the party levers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and patentable is as follows:

1. In an interlocking mechanism, the combination with a plurality of sets of'movable and abutting blocks, the blocks of each series having recesses of different depths, of a plurality of series of wedges, one series for each 'set of blocks, independently movable transversely of the plane of movement of the blocks, and stops for limiting the movement of the blocks.

2. In a voting machine interlock, the comwedge, a pair of interlocking blocks havm interlocking surfaces to contact with sai wedge, said surfaces being normally held apart a predetermined distance less than the displacement of the wedge, said wedge being movable to interlocking position to separate said surfaces by the thickness of the wedge.

' 3. A pair of interlocking compression members normally in direct abutment inclosing between them an opening, an interlocking wedge positioned to enter said opening, said opening equaling the wedge in width, but being less than the wedge in thickness, whereby the interlocking members will be separated by the wedge a distance equal to the thicknessof the wedge, minus the width of the opening when the wedge is inserted between the blocks.

4;. In a voting machine interlock a. series of interlocking blocks and wedges for interlocking therewith, each of said wedges having the same thickness, said blocks having surfaces thereon for interlocking with said wedges, said surfaces lying adjacent and being normally held apart a predetermined distance less than the displacement of the wedge whereby the displacement of the wedge is correspondingly reduced.

5. In avoting machine interlock a series of interlocking blocks and wedges for interlocking therewith, each of said wedges having the same thickness, said blocks having surfaces thereon for interlockin with said wedges, said surfaces lying adjacent and being normally held apart a predetermined 

